Aretha Franklin, the multiple Grammy award-winning singer whose career spanned seven decades, has died at age 76 from advanced pancreatic cancer, BBC reported.

The Queen of Soul passed away in Detroit after battling ill health for several years.

Born in Memphis to a gospel singer/pianist and a celebrated Baptist preacher, Franklin was tutored from an early age by such gospel stars as Mahalia Jackson and Clara Ward.

She struggled to find fame in the early years, with record label Columbia unsure how to frame her impressively powerful voice.

She recorded hundreds of tracks and had dozens of hits over the span of a half century, including 20 that reached No. 1 on the R&B charts. Her records sold millions of copies and the music industry couldn’t honor her enough. Franklin won 18 Grammy awards.